Campaign bid to end farm deaths
STAGE STAR
beautiful serviced apartments in Times Square to get ready.
“It was an amazing part opposite Julianna Margulies, Christine Baranski, Arron Cummings and Eddie Izzard.
“I was s ***** g myself, honestly, this was huge because this was what I had always wanted to do.
“But I was there for nine days, working with some brilliant people and made some great friends.
“That’s the thing about this business – one minute I was settling down to watch Eastenders and nine hours later I was on a plane to New York.” Landing that part in a leading American TV series also means Simon gets paid every time that episode airs around the world.
This has helped him and his wife Lisa
raise their four boys Cameron, 13, Elliot, 11, Isaac, eight, and four-year-old Lewis during more fallow acting times.
Simon said: “People always ask if there is a difference between filming here and in America, but not really.
“The money is very different. They have residuals, Irish actors don’t get that.
“I still get a cheque every few months from that one episode.
“I won’t retire on it but I have generated an income on it for the last five years. That’s how American actors can survive.
“They can go between jobs without having to get the Dole.
“The residual cheques keep them going whereas over here, and you hear it all the time now, people look at acting as a bit of a hobby.
“It is a full-time job and we all have kids and mortgages.
“But when we are out of work, we don’t get residuals and have to diversify and do something different otherwise there is no money coming in.”
Simon has been in the industry for 22 years but believes the acting world has never had it so tough.
He said: “Theatre is brutal and a lot of my closest friends are actors, stage hands, lighting guys and they are all out of work since March.
“I don’t think any happen this year.
live theatre
will
“That means pantos are gone. And people don’t understand the amount of employment pantos generate across the UK and Ireland.
“They generate the money that allows the theatre to stay open the other 10 months of the year.
“They are huge revenue earners and employers.
“I don’t think it will happen this year and that is really bleak.”
Farming accidents
FARMING safety will be investigated during a two-week campaign from the Health and Safety Authority.
Starting on Monday, inspectors will visit sites with a view of highlighting a number of safety issues in order to reduce deaths and serious incidents.
There have been 14 farm deaths so far this year, three involving children and nine involving those over 65.
HSA chief inspector Mark Cullen said: “Our inspection blitz will help raise awareness and focus farmers’ attention on the importance of managing safety on their farms.
“I am urging all those involved in farming to ensure safety is their number one priority.”